Broken Blade‘s 5th movie really takes the series down a notch I am sad to say. The focus of the film is Girghe a lot, a character who as far as I’m concerned has no soul in their design. Perhaps this movie was trying to fix that impression, but it doesn’t work and the “reasoning” behind his past seemed like a cop-out full of holes. I just refuse to feel for the guy and I think they really wanted me to change my mind. While Girghe is acting crazy, Rygart isn’t helping the situation. They decide the best time for a vendetta fight (which they are having because why again?) is right in the middle of a major mission. Probably the only redeeming scene in the entire movie is the fight between Brocuse and Rygart, looks amazing, just try to forget why it is happening and why it ends the way it does. This is the problem with most of the film, it isn’t well put together and thus you start questioning why anything is happening the way it is.

Sadly since the defeat of Zess the Broken Blade series has not been nearly as strong as is started. Rygart just seems to lose a lot of strength as a lead character as he seems way too interested in dealing with Girghe but not nearly as invested in doing anything else as he should. And Girghe just comes off as an unrepentant and unlikeable psychopath despite them trying to soften him up during the movie. I think they want him to be the dark mirror to Rygart’s noble intentions but he just comes off as a big waste of time. Their last confrontation actually annoyed me. I don’t see why Rygart would waste time with his theatrics when everyone else is getting slaughtered. General Borcuse on the other hand as at least a little more subtle in his villainy. He sometimes twirls his mustachio but at least I can understand being a completely wretched human to your enemy on the battlefield. The dehumanizing effects of being a solider can do that to a man. Also his fight with Rygart was pretty good which was the highlight of the movie. Hodr and Sigyn mostly seem to show up in this movie to wishfully wonder how Rygart is doing. And Sigyn has to have more slumber part-time with the POW Cleo. I had such high hopes for Broken Blade. It started off so well but it seems to have sadly lost its focus.

Winnie the Pooh has made it back to the big screen and despite Disney’s lack of marketing push for it, is a real treasure. Delightful could probably sum up this movie. From the moment they show the real-life stuff animals to the final closing of the book, Winnie the Pooh is charming. Set in the Hundred Acre Wood (where else?) it is about Pooh and company’s adventure to find Eeyore a new tail, to trap a monster called a Bakson, and of course the pursuit of honey. Characters are spot on while adding new touches here and there along with a wide ranger of humor including things like an Indiana Jones reference. The animation created a lot of character in the film, but of course I’m completely bias to 2D. Winnie the Pooh’s latest on screen creation is classic but modern and while it has been said in almost every review I’ve read, it bears repeating that it really does remind you of childhood. Also nice ending credits that kept you watching all the way to the Easter egg at the very end.

Toradora! volume 2 continues to reinforce my overall feeling on the manga adaptation since volume 1. The book starts with Taiga going on a mini rampage to clear up the misunderstanding that Ryuji and her are going out. But then Taiga goes in a completely unexpected direction in a romantic comedy by confessing her romantic feelings to the person she cares for. While her confession to Yusaku does not goes 100% smoothly, it actually happens, which is so rare in a series like this. After the fall out of Taiga’s confession we get a bit of a breakthrough in the Taiga and Ryuji friendship with them becoming closer to equals. The volume ends with the introduction of fan favorite two-faced model Ami Kawashima as a spanner in the works. We don’t see that much of her but she makes a distinct impression. In the anime Ami starts out as a rather unlikable character but she slowly grows on the reviewer as she grows as a character. It is not an easy transition to make as I never fully liked Ami but I like the changes they made in her character. I wonder how well the manga can pull off that transformation of her character. After the second volume I did notice the manga is far better at adapting the emotional scenes than the comedic scenes. The comedic moments just don’t come off as strongly in the manga. It is still an enjoyable manga. Toradora is one of the best shonen romance series I can think of in modern memory. It just fails to reach the comedic highs of the anime.

Saw Captain America: The First Avenger today which was a great way to avoid 100 degree weather! I’ll start off by saying that I know very little about Cap besides his very basic origin; he is a character I’ve read about peripherally but have never picked up his solo comics. This movie takes us through Steve Roger’s days becoming and being Captain America during WWII then right up to his reappearance in the present day. While Steve is a super American soldier, his foes Hydra and their leader the Red Skull are basically super Nazis. They do a good job of cultivating the big heart that Steve has and how that makes him a great man and superhero. The rest of the cast is memorable as well, I personally enjoyed Howard Stark a great deal. There is tons of action plus explosions, a little humor, and a bit of romance; I even felt a bit teary-eyed near the end. Of course they drop some lines for the comic fans, like Bucky saying to Steve that he felt like he was in a nightmare where he was becoming him. I was surprised to see so many people leaving before the credits were over, come on people don’t you know the drill by now? All in all a fun and entertaining movie!

In my continuing journey with JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure I read through part 4 also know as Diamond is Unbreakable. I think it is slightly apparent that Hirohiko Araki had only seriously plotted out the first three parts of the series. With Dio finally defeated it would appear the story would be over. But Araki does a good job for continuing the series in a way that is still entertaining. Josuke Higashikata is a likeable enough chap as the new Jojo protagonist although Jotaro still appears enough to be a hook for fans of Part III. They spend most of their time running around fighting the random stand user of the week but the battles are still innovative and smart. The story only really comes into its own when Yoshikage Kira comes along as the main antagonist. Then it becomes much more of a thriller and a detective story so I was pleased. Rohan Kishibe was without a doubt the oddest character in this chapter. As a genius manga artist Rohan is clearly a bit of a Mary Sue. But at the same time he is enough of a total jerk to show that Araki has a sense of humor about himself.  The story wanders a bit more than it’s tighter predecessors but it is still fun, weird, and exciting.  I must say that the translation on this part is just plain AWFUL. The grammar is horrible, names change from chapter to chapter, whole panels are often are untranslated, and the clean up work is often nonexistent. Since Viz has seemingly given up on the series beyond Stardust Crusaders I would consider it a favor if any group would go back and redo those translations. Theoretically the best thing would be for someone to license the other parts of Jojo’s but I have a feeling Viz will never continue the series and at the same time not give the rights to anyone else.

Ah, Toradora!, chronicling the eternal struggle between Tiger and Dragon in the form of a spitfire of a tiny girl and a clean-freak boy with the face of a delinquent. Two misunderstood people come together to help each other with their respective love interests, but wind up getting what they never knew they needed: each other. Despite that last sentence, Toradora! is a comedic romance but there truly are very poignant moments. Of course, this is my impression from the anime, the manga maintains a similar feel, and I assume will follow a similar course. Right now it feels better than average, but nothing is particularly moving in this first installment, though I did enjoy Ryuuji catching Taiga on the stairs. Taiga has a bit of a light switch feel at the moment, she is misunderstood but she isn’t wholly unlike her reputation either so I hope that evens out. The cover of the Toradora! vol. 1 manga is striking for its style and design; the interior art is a bit more generic but still well executed. There is also a bonus chapter for Ryuuji’s mom, and in general she has more fan-service in here than the anime. My biggest complaint for Toradora! is how verbose the manga is, this isn’t the most complex of stories so it is unnecessary. In line with this, there is a lot of repetition from Ryuji’s narration creating a showing and telling of many scenes; can probably chalk this up from it being a light novel first.

Manga adaptations of popular series tend to be some of the most mediocre things you can read. So I went cautiously into the Toradora! manga hoping for the best but braced for the worst. My general feeling was it is nowhere as bad as it could have been. I have never read the original light novels but I did watch the anime so I found myself comparing it to that. Ryuji and Taiga’s antagonistic friendship and budding romance is captured fairly well. There is a greater use of minor incidental classmates in the manga so it feels like people exist outside of the 4 main characters. On the down side we see much less of Minori and Yusaku so it is harder to see why our main characters should be crazy in love with them. Minori and Yusaku were not super prominent in the anime so when you cut their time they even become more plot elements and less characters. The character designs are very different from the manga. The girls are clearly done by a different style but you know who is who if you watched the anime. The guys on the other hand look like completely different characters that just happen to have the same name. The biggest complaint is that while there are clear differences so far if you have watched the anime you have read the manga. It is the classic dilemma of what happens when you do an extremely close adaption. If you are a mostly manga fan who is curious why anime fans keep talking about Toradora! this is a good place to see a very well executed shonen romance. Toradora! does not do much new with the genre but it does it in a well executed and lively fashion. For everyone else it is matter of how much you want to reread what you have already seen in a new art style.

The short film, actually a graduation project, Rain Town is a beautiful-looking, wordless, atmospheric piece. It features a town where, you guessed it, it is raining. On this day, a little girl befriends a robot-like creature outside, it is their story as they explore a bit of the town. It has a melancholy feeling, and we see flashbacks to when the town was bright and sunny, it remains unclear if it rains all the time (my guess was yes from the title) and if so why. But the real point, and beauty of the film, is seeing the town through this wonderful animation.

Since Madhouse Studios has been trying to produce a series of anime targeted at an American taste based on American properties I decided to check out their latest offering with the first 13 episodes of the Supernatural anime. It is thankfully a better adaption than the Marvel anime then have been putting out recently. The Supernatural TV series seems perfectly suited for an anime adaption. It has the classic supernatural anime formula about a pair of occult savvy brothers trying to find their father and the demon that has sinister plans for their family while solving smaller arcane cases on their travels. If you were not told it was based on an American TV show it would hardly seem out-of-place as an anime but the American setting. The episodes are a mixture of adapted episodes from the TV series and original episodes. Having never seen the original TV series I can’t say how accurate they are to the TV series but I enjoyed what I saw. The brother have good dynamic which is vital for a show like this. The stories are overall enjoyable if a bit tried and true for the genre. There is some variability in quality but that is the case with any supernatural anthology show. I don’t remember any stinkers expect the episode with the casino and the poverty god is clearly an anime original episode and really weird. It is this slapstick episode in what is an otherwise serious supernatural show which while not horrible is very incongruous with the rest of the show. Also the ending of the vampire story seemed a little rushed but such is the case with cramming an hour show into a half an hour of animation. I can’t say that it is my favorite supernatural mystery show but it is a serviceable adaption that shows that Madhouse is still capable of making something with a strong international flair.

Fireball Charming ep. 1 is how I decided to kick off the new season. Disney’s Fireball was a series of 2-minute comedy shorts about duchess Drossel and her servant Gedachtnis, both robots. Even if you’ve never watched the show, perhaps you didn’t even know there was a show, Drossel’s pig-tailed design and glowing eyes might be familiar to you. So a similar 2nd season has begun with some much crisper CG and some tweaks to Drossel’s design which has given her much more hip and butt (thanks?). The comedy remains off-kilter as misunderstandings pepper the jokes. Glad to see Fireball back!

In a similar vein of  Time Jam: Valerian & Laureline is a French and Japanese co-production of a highly esteemed French science fiction comic by Pierre Christin and Jean-Claude Mézières. The original comic is a high exclaimed series that has gone on to heavily influence Star Wars and Fifth Element as well as many other series. It has a distinctly sexual charge and a good deal of political commentary. The anime on the other hand is a kids cartoon. It is a good kids cartoon but clearly a kids cartoon. I can’t blame the Japanese as much as it has that American kids show vibe as opposed to Japanese kids show vibe. That means the politics are significantly less subtle and they go out of their way to make sure no one dies. That is until the last five episodes. It seems like they were 35 episodes into the series so they tried to get away with what they could in the last 5 episodes when it was too late to cancel them. Then  major twists are introduced, people are murdered for political reasons, heroic sacrifices are made, millions die in planetary bombardments, and there is a temporal duel to the death. That said even before then it is clearly based on the original source material. The storyline is an adaption of one of the most famous story lines from the original and other stories and characters are either directly used or alluded to throughout the series. They also seem to have taken changing power balance Valerian and Laureline from the source material and averaged out so they are more equal partners. The first three episodes are worth watching just for the action sequences because they are amazingly fluid and have a Lupin the Third energy and direction to them. The rest of the episodes still have some good action from time to time but they clearly spent a good deal of budget making sure you were impressed in the beginning. I am curious if we have any one who is a fan of European comics who knows what the general reaction to the adaption was?

I think I prefer these old designs.

It was a natural combination that was an inevitability like the teaming up of Jackie Chan and Jet Li we have the combination of Detective Conan and Sherlock Holmes. Thankfully Detective Conan Movie 6: The Phantom of Baker Street turn out better than The Forbidden Kingdom. When Conan and his detective gang are invited to the world premier of a high tech virtual reality game the festivities quickly turn to a race to solve murders in real life and the virtual world. The draw of the movie is going to be Conan substituting for the world greatest detective as he tries to solve the Jack the Ripper murders in a virtual London. The fact that if they lose the game everyone playing dies also ramps up the tension. The action in the virtual world and the real world work well in tandem but eventually tie together in an unexpected manner. There was always some bit of action or excitement going on which helped keep the movie lively. It was great to see Professor Moriarty and Sebastian Moran in the game as well although there is less Holmes than I expected. The Junior Detective League also seems like they were deliberately part of the script as opposed to crammed in like the other movies. Overall it was a good time and a fine addition to the franchise.

I can’t tell you how trilled I was when I got my hands on this movie, I insisted that it be next on this list. My goodness, what a combination: Conan (love!), Sherlock Holmes (love!), 19th century London (love!), and a Jack the Ripper mystery (love!). I really enjoyed that the creators finally cooked up away to bring all those elements together even if it takes place in a virtual world. And the virtual reality aspect of this film tells you exactly when it was made, the mid-90′s when everyone was convinced that was going to be the next big thing! But it’s not like Detective Conan isn’t already set around some pretty crazy technology so this doesn’t seem out of place. Everyone contributes a lot to this movie and we even get an appearance from Conan’s parents. There are of course many twists and turns, and this one does have some very suspenseful moments. I found the final confrontation scene especially thrilling and once again tip my hat to Ran, in fact the franchise is very good at the final scenes overall. Detective Conan Movie 6: The Phantom of Baker Street is a great romp in the collection!

I finished Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ and I have to say it came together pretty well in the end. I was happy to see that Roux and Elle were useful through the series as I was a little worried they would fade away. Emary Ounce was sort of useless as a captain but it is not like Beecha is much better. It was also odd to see what were pretty much comic relief villains being dangerous cyber-newtype killers but it gave some weight to the last fights. The ending had some notable character deaths on all sides but was not the Battle of Gettysburg that the end of Zeta was. Glemy and Puru Two could have gotten a little more fleshing out as villains but served their purposes. Overall Gundam ZZ is hardly a necessity as a part of the Universal Century story. You can skip it if you don’t have the time but you would be missing out on some good characters, stories, and fights near the end. Also a bit of resolution to Kamille, Fa, and Haman Khan’s stories from Zeta and more story to the tale of Bright Noa. It is also a major point in Mineva Lao Zabi‘s story which can almost be seen as the story that ties together all the main Gundam series. If you do watch the series you just might want to skip to episode 12 and just read an episode guide to catch up. Also Tomino why do we get the most fan-service from Puru Two when wonderfully attractive Roux and Elle were cast members? I am also amused it has several instances of shirtless Judau and cross-dressing which proves once again that Gundam always catered to women despite what fans may say. I almost forgot to mention that one very important person shows up for a few scenes and that makes it all worth it.

I found the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Parallel Works, which is a collection of music videos, to be as a whole rather disappointing. For many of the shorts, the music and image were not in sync and by that I don’t just mean the beat (though that happened often), but also by theme and by mood. The ones that were even able to accomplish one of those tasks (Boing vs Boing, Omae no xxx de Ten wo Tsuke!!, and Gattai Nante Kusokurae!!) were still just okay. The only real stand out piece, and truly the only one worth seeking out, is the last one about Lordgenome’s past. There is a great combination of style, design, scale, music, and weight all of which is able to convey such an ominous and spic mood. Omaera Zenin Moete Shimae!!! exemplifies what the collection should have been and therefore blows everything that came before it out of the water.

I was both very pleased and a little disappointed after watching Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann: Lagan-hen. The disappointment came because all the reviews I read really made it seem like there was a significant new direction in the second Gurren Lagann movie. But I was pleased as the movie succeeds in what it set out to do. And that is tell the rest of the story of Gurren Lagann in two hours. It does so very well and reminded me what I really liked about the TV series. It starts off with Simon fighting Lord Genome and ends with a little more of what Simon is doing with himself after the climax. It told the story in a compressed manner without any of the awkwardness of the first movie. With the new material I did notice there were differences but they did not change the narrative that much. Sure some characters lived who died in the TV series but no one cared about them anyway. We got a little more mecha porn and some nudity from Yoko and Nina which gives the audience what it wants on both fronts. The second movie really sells you on what made Gurren Lagann such a great show. It works well for new fans who just want to watch two movies to get the feel of the series and old fans who want to see what they love again with a slight twist.

I watched Toradora episodes 2-7 just a week or so before the license announcement, so while I’m waiting for the DVDs to finish it off I thought I’d share my feelings since I think it’s worth buying. I’m glad to have watched these installments in quick succession because I don’t think the 2nd and 3rd episodes are nearly as good as the first. ToraDora always seems to be teetering on the edge between being a standard shonen romance and really living up to the potential of the stand-out moments that occur in every episode (when Ryuji and Taiga take out their frustrations on the light pole, it was a perfect scene no doubt). You could sense though that the staff knew they took the relationship between Taiga and Ryuji too far, too quick and had to back pedal. However, from episode 4 onward the series starts to even itself out, and the gradual build happening for our tiger (tora) and dragon (dora) is solid. I do worry that we won’t see as much of Ryuji’s perspective and struggles, as they have already been relegated to the side, but Taiga is a good character whose story and transition I am eager to explore.

If there is one thing the internet has enough of, it is hate. Hate for shows, hate for people, and plenty of hate for characters. Unfortunately, we will be spreading such ire today. What would our former post be without its companion piece? However, I would like to point out this post isn’t about bad characters or poorly written development, it is about characters we dislike for inherent flaws in their personalities. I would even argue, if I can passionately oppose a character that means they are actually written rather fully. Once again we are trying to explore what, if anything, it means to dislike a character with such fervor. This, much differently from the previous post, can get a bit hairy and quite intense at times. But we will do our best to be respectful. Maybe.

I really hate fake strong female characters. They are female characters that the writers try to pass off as strong but are really just weak. Cecily Cambell from The Sacred Blacksmith is a prime example. We are supposed to believe that she is a strong swordswoman that can defend her self. But she mostly goes around being useless. This annoys me more that the standard token chick because at least you don’t have high expectations out of them. Another great example is Clarice from Claymore. Also belligerent women than are actually weak but the writers mistake being confrontational with strong. The fact that they kept portraying Sheryl Nome as a strong woman when she is clearly just fronting to hide her deep insecurities. The fact that people rally behind her as some sort of symbol of feminine strength really ticks me off. Also the fact that show never acknowledges any of Sheryl’s behaviors as anything but a virtue. This is in contrast to Ami Kawashima from Toradora whose same actions are seen as the weakness and defense mechanisms that they are. The other character that stood out to me as being horrible was Takumi Nishijo from Chaos;Head. He had to be one of the most unlikable protagonists I have ever seen. People usually complain about harem leads being generic and unsympathetic. Takumi has all the traits that make harem leads so hated and then either exaggerates those traits or has even worse traits on top of that. He is selfish, petty, lecherous, misanthropic, and just a disgusting human being. At least I felt some amount of sympathy for Tatsuhiro Sato from Welcome to the NHK. I have not one iota of good will towards Takumi and could not drag myself through a show with him as the lead.

I can be a harsh critic when it comes to character flaws, so where to draw the line was a little more difficult because once again this isn’t just about annoying characters, it is about characters that sort of epitomize traits that I dislike above all else. First up is a woman whose death I called for as each episode she further gathered my dislike, oh Flay Allster (from Gundam SEED), how I will always recall your attempts (and successes) at being a racist solipsist who uses her femininity in the worst ways with hatred. One must draw the line at trying to get nice guys killed. Squarely in the middle is Sakujun (from The Story of Saiunkoku) who has something not quite right about him from the moment you lay eyes on him. Sakujun acts in such a roundabout way that he takes advantage of good people so much so he borders, no, he is mentally abusive. He portrays the ultimate ends of using guilt and obligation to get what you want. And to round things out is Misa (from Death Note) whose ridiculous obsession with Kira makes her a gothic doormat. Her inability to see the things right in front of her is phenomenal and intensely frustrating as is her attempt to see anything Light does as love.

The oddity for me is Hinagiku Katsura from Hayate the Combat Butler. I normally adore characters like her. She has pink hair, she uses a sword, she is proud and confidante but kind and supportive and she loves someone from afar. But for some reason I really don’t like her as much as the rest of the cast. Unlike say Narutaki who actively hates Sanji I just don’t really like Hinagiku. I can’t put my finger on what exactly I dislike about her that stops me from liking her the way everyone else worships her. I do on the other hand get all worked up about her fandom that insists that the manga should be about her and that she is the best character ever. It is like everyone would rather be reading Hinagiku the Combat Student Council President. I myself like the lead characters as they are.

A character I have trouble understanding my dislike (this may be too tame of a word) for is Sanji (from One Piece). By all normal circumstances, he should rank rather high for me but it never happened. Sanji’s got a laid back style, he cooks, and he is a good fighter but something about his love sickness really doesn’t jive with me. And I also think this particular case has also boggled the minds of many of my close friends.

The challenge is the same as before. Take what we have given you and try and make an analysis of our character from the characters we hate. Also feel free to write in the characters you hate and what you think it means about you. I did find it a little harder to choose characters I hated than Narutaki. I think we both have affection for charters as deep as the other one. I think we also both like a wide variety of characters. The biggest challenge was for use to narrow out lists down to 3 characters. But for some reason I have a harder time hating characters.

I feel like just writing this helped me learn a bit about myself!

I saw some of the art from March on Earth at New York Comic Con and was instantly struck by its adorable quality. I resolved to pick it up instantly. The story follows Yuzu who is the sole guardian for her nephew after the untimely death of her sister (who had been caring for Yuzu after the death of their parents). So we aren’t starting out on the happiest of moments and the story is mostly a series of her trails through caring for a young child. Most of the comedy comes from the neighboring family who she often spends time with. The older son is hilariously in love with Yuzu and is constantly acting like a lovesick loon at an attempt to get her attention. It was a decent start but almost every chapter is about the same thing, the bond between her and her deceased sister, how she will stay strong, etc. and sometimes using the exact same dialogue and scenes to convey this. WE GET IT ALREADY. It comes off clunky and its most entertaining parts aren’t at the heart of the story.

I finished Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk and came away with an overall positive reaction. I always enjoyed the comedy episodes more than the adventure ones but they were still well done. Certain aspects of the conclusion sort of came out of nowhere but maybe I was just not paying attention. Also I was never quite clear on what Succubus’ deal was. None of that is really super important though. They weren’t giant plot holes but I wish they had fleshed out more. I can’t say that any part of Tower of Druaga was especially unique but it was all entertaining. If you need a modern hit of fantasy adventure and did not mind some humor thrown into the mix this was the show to watch. It avoided the Gonzo curse of a horrible ending and that is what counts. I am definitely getting this Fatina figure because it is hot, plus it might help get me an Ahmey figure.

Picked up the third volume of Two Flowers for the Dragon and it continues to weave a wonderful story with romance, mystery, and action! I love the world they are creating and don’t expect for every piece of the story to have a conclusion. Some major plot threads are revealed however in this volume including as some of Lucien’s memories come to the surface and we find out some of what has been going on with Sakuya’s father. The love rivalry heats up as well though I feel the choice is obvious. Still they could surprise me I suppose. Another top notch volume in this series. Can’t wait for the final book in a couple of weeks!

Because I am a huge Rumiko Takahashi I have to comment on her newest series that is getting a simultaneous release in the U.S. and Japan, Rin-Ne. The simple one sentence summary is Rumiko Takahashi does Bleach. Sakura Mamiya can see ghosts after a incident as a child but has generally done everything she can to ignore this fact. One day a red-headed student named Rin-ne Rokudo comes who not only can see ghosts but can help them move on with his shinigami powers. He winds up exorcising a ghost that is harassing Sakura for an about $5.50 which he seems to think is a kings ransom. Overall I was amused and intrigued by the story. We only really meet the two main characters and in Takahashi manga the supporting cast is just as important as the main. Though no plot has been introduced, I doubt it’s going to be random school hijinks. I laughed at several of the jokes and that is all I ask from a Takahashi manga. One thing of note to Narutaki is that Sakura and Rin-ne seem to be cordial with each other. There is no Ranma/Akane or Inuyasha/Kagome fighting. They seem more perplexed with each other than anything else. The online viewer played fine for me, was easy to read, and seemed decently translated. If other companies do simultaneous releases of manga I hope they are done this well.

Saw the live action film Tokyo Sonata by director Kiyoshi Kurosawa. It is the tale of a seemingly typical Japanese family: salaryman father, stay-at-home mother, high school age son, and elementary age son. But as the preview suggests, they are really not so typical and kind of imply the idea that maybe everyone who seems normal isn’t. The film starts with the dad losing his job which starts the ball rolling as the family breaks apart, changes, and comes to an understanding over the course of two hours. There are moments of introspection and there are moments of dark comedy, it was interesting ride that I would recommend to others.

Since the whole point of the Picture of the Week is to cater to my fetishes I present:

Finally picked up a copy of All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder, the first hardcover collection. It is great to see Jim Lee doing Batman again, he is just incredibly, insanely talented period. And he has only gotten better as time has gone on. There are some really intense pieces which Scott Williams really enhances in this series including one where Batman is holding up little Dick Grayson, here is a scan. I wasn’t aware this series was starting with a Robin origin story, not that I am complaining, on the contrary it was a pleasant surprise. True to Frank Miller form he writes Batman as a borderline psycho which always keeps you guessing. And it certainly does boast an all-star cast, as the title implies, with appearances from the Joker, Bat-girl, and Cat-woman in just these first few issues. Oh, and Batman and Robin making fun of the Green Lantern, hilarious. Looking forward to more!

I am not quite certain why I keep reading Ken Akamatsu stuff. For some reason his books entertain me even if I can’t really say they are good. I just read Negima 19 and 20. Since the school festival arc is over it means they need a training arc before they move on. Ah, the staples of shonen fighting mixed with the staples of shonen romance. And I enjoy this why? Oh and because we did not have enough tsundere girls in the series we had to add Anya, Negi’s childhood friend. I did like her crazy boobie conspiracy theories though. I am always a little scared about how well researched the magic and Latin is in Negima. It’s like finding out that porn you just watched had a team of historical consultants.

Continuing reading of Switch, just finished the second book. It keeps itself moving between intense cop drama and humor pretty well. We wrapped up the story involving the famous model with some serious business. Kai and Hal are a good pair. Then we have a short bust with the help of the department’s analyst, Kuzui, she has a most hilarious crush on Kai. We end on another longer story, which continues into the next volume, involving a high school gang. I have to admit to enjoying seeing Hal and Kai having to infiltrate a high school to get a drug bust. Oh so 21 Jump Street! Though Hal is only posing as a teacher.

I watched the first 4 episodes of Turn A Gundam again. I had started watching a long time ago but then some computer trouble wiped out what I had downloaded so I stopped there vowing to watch it after I finished the original Gundam. Since we are currently watching First Gundam for the blog I decided to restart Turn A. It’s an unusual Gundam series even though it is directed Yoshiyuki Tomino. The initial steam-punk technology of Earth is strange and there are no colonies, only men from the Moon. Loran’s role as a double agent is definitely unique because he has best wishes for both sides. Sochie Heim is a likable character but so far she is getting kicked pretty hard by life and I don’t expect that to change. I will also say it’s amusing to see quite a bit of nudity of both sexes so far. I guess they really wanted to sell you on this 20th anniversary Gundam series.

I was so happy to see the Tower of Druaga second season start up. While I didn’t think the first series was the most incredible story ever written, I really enjoyed it and it left you on quite a cliffhanger! So getting back into it was fun. A little time has passed since the end and we start out with some interesting new mysteries. Fatina remains my favorite character and her interactions with Jil are nicely thoughtout. As with the first season, the opening is unrelated but very well done and a joy to watch. I really appreciate when the staff thinks about the placement of the text in an opening, as opposed to just slapping it over their beautiful animation.

And now my pic of the week (or Hisui reveals herself to be a Turn A Gundam shipper):

Finally volume 4 of Hissing has hit shelves! I really appreciate Yen Press continuing many of Ice Kunion’s manhwa titles. We are really getting into the thick of things as Sun-Nam finally realizes he has a connection to Da-Eh’s family. That could complicate things for these recent love birds. Ta-Jun still dominates as my favorite though I seriously doubt he will win the girl. He will be a bit of a monkey wrench in it all I suspect. Hissing is one of the better manhwa being released state side and continues to be funny and charming. The 5th book is coming out later this month and just one more volume to go after that!

Mirror Moon has completed their fan translation of Fate/Stay Night. So, this means I have started the third and final path, Heaven’s Feel. I personally find Sakura the weakest of the heroines but I hardly dislike her as a character. She is so mild compared to the rest of the cast. It is also the most disturbing of the Fate/Stay Night scenarios. With penis worms, rape, and re-grafted chopped off limbs it goes out of its way to be a unsettling. But it is still good to get a little deeper insight into the mechanics of the Fate/Stay Night world. Also more Rider equals more love. But then again Saber gets the short end of the stick in this path which is not fun. One of the high points is the Tiger dojo’s when you die. Loliburuma Panzer Corp. sums it up quite nicely. It also makes me wonder why there are not more Taiga figures.

Three of my favorite shojo manga-ka are starting new series within a couple of months of each other! Arina Tanemura who is best known for Full Moon wo Sagashite starts her new adventure and romance series titled Sakura-Hime Kaden in December. Nana Haruta, who’s work has not been licensed in the U.S., starts a new serial in January. And Maki Yoko, you may know her series Aishiteruze Baby, will start a new work in February. All of this is happening in Ribon, which is why it remains my favorite monthly manga magazine! All of these writers tend to write shorter series, in the under 10 books range, which I really like. I will report back when I can get my hands on these works!

I sampled the first episode of Baccano! on Funimation’s web site. I have been interested after hearing about its unique setting (1930′s America) and unusual storytelling techniques. A young girl named Carol is trying to piece together how a strange series on seemingly unrelated mysterious incidents are related. Her boss and her trade theories which leads to us cutting back and forth between stories. So far I can’t say that any one story stood out as great but I am interested to see how they all connect. There is also an obviously supernatural element to the story. It was considerably less violent than I had been lead to believe. There is violence and bloodshed but I guess I have become desensitized because nothing in the first episode phased me.

Let me just say, “Thank you Shonen Jump USA!” The past two months of it have been some good chapters for Bleach. Just finished chapters 224-226. We are in a slight break from the impending Hecto Mundo arc. Visoreds with Ichigo have been dominating the pages, whoo-hoo! As well as some Urahara (you clearly know I can’t ever be disappointed with that), Chad training, and Ishida reappeared! Oh the joy! Not sure when this streak will end but I am happy with what I have gotten for the moment.

Despite owning it for quite a while, I got to reading The Twelve Kingdoms: Sea of Wind. It was a good read although nowhere near as epic as the first Twelve Kingdoms novel. The first book was a girl surviving in a fantasy kingdom and eventually gaining the throne. This book is the story of Taiki and him learning who he really is and taking the responsibility of being the guardian animal of a Kingdom. I know Narutaki was super happy about there being more delicious Keiki in this book and him getting more screen time. This story is set before the first book which can make several things quite confusing especially when people are only referred to by their position. I only knew about it becuase I looked it up for Narutaki when he was reading the book.

There are always a ton of new shows coming out. Alas there are only so many hours in the day so we have to be selective. We are not reviewing sequels, ongoing shows (yes, of course, we are watching Gundam 00!), or any show we are pretty sure, like 99% sure, we will not like. And be aware we are reviewing these shows after watching just one maybe two episodes, so it is just first impressions.

Tytania

Tytania is the story of the nasty Tytania clan and their attempts to take over the UNIVERSE! It is set in a space fairing future not unlike the Traveller universe which although humanity has high space technology but with all the stylization of European nobility including dress, titles, and antiquated personal weaponry. We are quickly introduced the major players in the Tytania clan and we see although they do not officially rule the empire they do so in all but name. And boy are they boring so far. But there is hope in the form of Fan Hulic and his rebels from Euria. Fan actually seems likable and someone you want to root for. I really hope the story is about his awesome fight against the Tytania bastards like the ending suggests or this is going to be rather lame. I guess they could also make Tyania more sympathetic and interesting but I think I would rather see Fan’s excellent adventures. I recommend this show to anyone who is running out of Legend of the Galactic Heroes to watch and needs their next space opera fix.

Character designs by Haruhiko Mikimoto who did original Macross, woo-hoo! This is very seriously a show about the biggest jerks in the universe and their pompous, pampered lives. Please for the love of all things mighty, take them down FAN (pictured above)! I was really worried that he was just going to be another conquest but looks like he has some hidden cunning. I really wasn’t interested in the show until I realized he had something up his sleeve. My suspicions are the same as Hisui’s in that this show will be about the rebels taking on the empire so to speak. Which you would never know from the opening sequence. Which by the way sounds like it is an anthem for the Tytania clan.

Hokuto no Ken: Raoh Gaiden – Ten no Haoh

So this episode is about the sensitive musician Raoh. He is trying to cross the world and make it a peaceful place through the sound of music. Or it is about Raoh a man, five times the size of any punk he runs into, who can only walk in a straight line. He also has two minions one who he gives a fist pound to in greeting and one who is almost molested which was surprising because it was only almost. The opening sequence reminds us that what we are watching is pure, awesome, raw power while the ending sequence implies that there is some touching story behind it all. I think we know why we are all here watching this and it has nothing to do with depth. Also since this is just the beginning of Raoh’s journey he has not yet donned the fantastic armor.

Most people might not realize that Raoh from Hokuto no Ken is actually much like Narutaki. They are both the King of Fists and they both live life without regret. Clearly since Narutaki is a real human being it was Roah that was based on him. So does Raoh Gaiden live up to the greatness that is Narutaki’s life? The answer is clearly YES!For those not in the know this is a side story to the original Fist of the North Star series with the big bad guy as the star. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where the strong prey on the weak and the ultimate weapon is martial arts. Roah plans to save the world from its sorry state by conquering it. He and his two lieutenants make their first step towards world domination by taking over some poor saps fortress. For some reason, to minimize the damage to the fortress I suppose they go in disguised as a performing troop. This leads to unintentional hilarity. Roah then proceeds to school this guy and name himself King of Fists. Is the animation super awesome? No. It’s serviceable and a little out dated. Is the plot super deep? Hells no. Why are you going to watch this? Roah at one point is confronted by the random encounter enemies of any post-apocalyptic world, the biker punks. He confronts their leader and punches a whole the size of a cow in him…and the building in the distance, too. If that sells you than welcome aboard this crazy train.

Ga-Rei ZERO

This show really started out very typically with decent action. Dark pasts with some messed up supernatural elements running around the city. But the girl does fight these zombie like things using her motorcycle. Awesome! But I felt the mission didn’t have any suspense. It was all over and wrapped up in the blink on an eye so it didn’t have that edge of the seat spirit. Then they throw you for a loop, like really do. As you sit there with your mouth hanging open you will wonder what just happened. Then fade to black….WHAT? Now I have to see what happens!

Motorcycle-fu is quite a site to behold. Sure the main guy uses, your now standard, double pistol gun-fu but, girls wielding the combat motorcycle skill is still woefully underused. Other than that it starts out with the standard NPC troops getting hosed by monsters so our young team of protagonists have to come in a show them how it’s done. Tooru wants to get revenge on the main baddie who killed someone precious to him, and our combat motorcycle girl is obviously interested in him. You have got the big guy with a scar and tech nerd to round it out. They take on two monsters in rather standard form and then just before the end as every review will surely mention they throw something quite unexpected at you. This is based on a manga but so far it seems to be based in the same world but with a different set of characters.

Kuroshitsuji

Ciel Phantomhive is the twelve-year-old head of his family’s toy company. Since his parents have passed away in a as yet unexplained fashion he is in the care of his demonic butler, Sebastian Michaelis. There are also four other servants in his household but they can barely take care of themselves let alone their young master. This series reminded me of Count Cain and it’s continuation God Child. It has that same creepy Victorian setting with an undercurrent of supernatural always in the background. The main problem is Count Cain has a handy formula that Kuroshitsuji has yet to learn. Each story in Count Cain would start with humorous hijinks and slowly as the story actually started would lose the comedy and turn grim until its usually dramatic or grizzly conclusion. When the next story began they would restart the formula so the comedy would refresh the pallet from the darkness that came before it. The director either needs to stick closer to Count Cain formula or learn to switch back and forth between tones a little cleaner.

This series is an odd duck. I am rather a fan of the combination of morbid and comedy. When done right it is hysterical. This series jumped between the two readily. The humor was very funny but sometimes the transitioning between the horror and light-hearted moments was just off. It starts off very dark and creepy and then booms you with hilarity, which is good, but it didn’t totally work for me because the horror seemed like it wanted to be taken seriously. That was a little hard to do when Sebastian is pulling table clothes off like a magician and the hired help being a most clumsy group of people. I think if it could even out the movement between the genres it could be good.

ToraDora!

This show seems like it has a lot of potential. Ryuji is a very funny, quirky and likable protagonist (and he is kinda cute despite his Yakuza eyes!). The poor boy can’t get from one end of town to the other without people cowering in fear and his obsession with cleaning things is great. As for Taiga, I think she could be a full realized character not just a fetish. She is a delinquent that is for sure, brash and hot-tempered. However, I actually imagine her trying to be quiet, sweet, and nice around the guy she likes rather than her normal self. There is a story behind her attitude and that story and development of her is what could make or break this show. The odd friendship that pops up between these two was nicely done. And while I know they will eventually be something more than friends, I wouldn’t mind watching their hilarious interactions without it.

When Ryuji and the petite “Palmtop Tiger” Taiga find that they have crushes on eachother’s best friends a rather unusual friendship forms between them. Ryuji may seem scary but he is actually a domestic genius and has a fondness of making mix tapes for girls he can never ask out. Taiga is a slovenly, delinquent that hides an inner bashful young maiden. They have an amusing dynamic that will be easily and quickly by labeled as tsundere by the Internet but I feel is more complex than that. Tiaga is voiced by Rie Kugimiya who also voiced Shana from Shakugan no Shana. Your enjoyment of both shows hinges on your liking the main female character. If you enjoy Tiaga like Narutaki and I did then your will be able to follow this show and determine if you ultimately like it. I did enjoy that in the second episode someone clearly expresses their feelings for some one. There is at least no pussyfooting on that front. I have a feeling that ToraDora! could fall into a repetitive cycle of Tiaga being nasty to Ryuji and having it kill the comedic value of their relationship but hopefully it will remain fresh.

Hyakko

Imagine if the first episode of the The Irresponsible Captain Tylor was only Yuriko Star and Makoto Yamamoto. Since they are both the straight man characters it would be sort of boring and only illicit some chuckles at best. It takes Justy Ueki Tylor and the rest of the crew playing off them to truly make them funny. This is the problem with the first half of Hyakko. Ayumi and straitlaced Tatsuki are lost on the humongous campus. They wander about the campus until they finally run into Torako jumping from a second story window followed by her friend Suzume. Things take a turn for the more interesting when the quartet is finally formed because Torako starts to get them into amusing little predicaments as they try to find their homeroom. When they finally arrive we see several other classmates who are sure to be regular characters but so far they have barely been introduced. The show really only works when they are all together. If they can keep up the high energy comedy I think this might be the funniest comedy of the season but they can’t break up the dynamic they they have running.

Thank goodness this show is not the first half of the episode, boring. It really started to pick up speed once all four girls came together and were running around the campus. All of them are distinctly different personality types ranging from shy and quiet to loud and belligerent. And quite frankly if I never learned another about them I wouldn’t be upset. The leader that will surely continue to get them all in explicable situations is Torako who in the first episode jumps out a window, throws a brick threw one, and punches a teacher in the gut. I know that she will surely garner a huge fan-base that will know no limits. All of these characters play off each other so in this case the sum is greater than all its parts. It is still slice of life but bordering on complete hijinx comedy which is the only kind I like.

Skip Beat

Kyoko Mogami kills herself working two full time jobs, living in a apartment much beyond her means, and doing the housework for two people for one reason. It lets her be with her beloved childhood friend and pop idol Sho Fuwa. One day she discovers that he is just using her because he knows that she has a crush on him. You expect her to break down crying. Instead she starts manically laughing and vows to get her revenge. So she makes herself over from Plain Jane to Cool Gal and starts on her road to a grand pay back. The first episode is masterfully set up. We get a likable and sympathetic Kyoko who shifts gears from quiet and meek to her occasional amusing dramatic reaction shots. We get a good insight into why she would fall for Sho and his charming attitude. We also get an equal insight into why he is such an utter buttmonkey that we want her to get him back. I am eagerly waiting to see how Kyoko puts her plan into motion.

Okay, I was very curious about this anime because the Skip Beat manga is pretty good. Well, it would be if it was unnecessarily long (and continues on as we speak). That is where the anime can come in. It can potential have the revenge and the romance at a good, even pace with a wrapped up ending. The first episode did the manga justice as far as I’m concerned. It wasn’t the mostly hilarious adventures of a hard working but slightly insane Kyoko punctuated nicely with moments of drama. It really does a great job a lulling you into thinking this is just standard shojo romance and then WHAM!

Hakushaku to Yousei

This was a series I knew nothing about but was really looking forward to. I love the era and setting (Victorian England) with the added fantasy elements. I think the first episode title says it all, “A Refined Villain.” Indeed that is what the Edgar is. He is ridiculously handsome, much too charming and cunning, sparkles and flowers surround him on occasion, and when he punches someone…well let’s just say it is very dramatic. AND I LOVED EVERY MINUTE.I am happy to say that there is a plot surrounding all of this and it isn’t out of the blue for Edgar to be trying to seduce our pretty heroine, Lydia. But yes it is over the top, girly, fantasy, romance fun!

Lydia Carlton is a fairy doctor. That means she can see and talk to them unlike most people and help people deal with them. She even has a magical fairy cat named Nico that acts as her companion. While traveling to England from Scotland she find a young man who has just escaped from being tied up asking to help him. Edgar eventually tells her he wants the legendary fairy sword. It is his proof of linage and he needs Lydia’s help to get it. Edgar and Lydia are now being chased by people who want the sword as well. I am curious how much of a bastard Edgar really is. They imply that he murders a man in cold blood. We also see Nico reading an article about how Edgar is wanted for larceny and murder. This is mostly off screen and the paper could be wrong so theoretically he could be a decent villain or he could be stone cold evil. I guess wondering is part of the fun.

Michiko to Hatchin

Michiko and Hatchin starts with Michiko breaking out of a supposedly inescapable prison and then raising some hell in the surrounding town. Then we switch to Hatchin who has been adopted by a horribly nasty priest and is equally nasty family. But eventually Michiko and Hatchin’s lives intersect and it ends with them starting a road trip with the police in pursuit. I really liked Michiko and Hatchin but I’m not going to watch another episode fan-subbed because this show is so clearly going to get licensed; it is not a matter of if but when and by who. With Manglobe Inc. working on it it has that same off beat style of Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Champloo.  So far as I can tell it takes place in an unnamed Hispanic country which is not your normal anime setting. It has a great sense to style and cool so far. Unless this show takes a nose dive later on I am just going to sit back and wait for the DVDs.

I don’t think it is surprising that this series has style. From the animation to the characters designs to the music. And the opening animation was quite cool. A nice blend of action and comedy and two lead characters that couldn’t be more different. The story is unconventional and I think that looks attractive in general but it also made me incredibly curious. I in no way have any idea where this show is going. Michiko is a very unpredictable woman if the first episode is any idication. Perhaps, just like Hatchin, I am just along for this crazy ride.

Shikabane Hime Aka

Ouri is an orphan at a Buddhist orphanage who is finally moving out on his own. It turns out that the head of the orphanage secretly uses a corpse princess named Makina to fight other nastier forms of undead. While the series is not bad I can’t say that it hooked me either. The premise is interesting and has potential but is executed in a extremely average fashion. There are a lot of unanswered questions. How do people become undead? Why is she working with Buddhist monks to fight monsters? What role will Ouri play in all of this? Who is this talking cat that keeps showing up whenever Ouri is near? The fact that she fights with duel machine guns sounds cooler than it actually is in execution. Maikina fighting style seems to be charge straight at whatever she is fighting with guns-a-blazin’. Since she is undead she seems not to even try to dodge with leads to rather straight forward fight scenes. Maybe when Ouri gets involved this will change. This is a series I will let the rest of the Internet finish and then determine if it’s worth my money.

I just have to say I am in awe of GAINAX’s recent non-fan-service. All the opportunities were there but they ignored them! The show had an overall even tone mixing comedy and action. Though in just this first episode no one, or should I say our main characters, have not come together yet. They have met but we really don’t know what their involvement with each other is going to be. I think that bears a lot on what kind of a show this is and whether or not it will be worth watching. I felt the action scene at the end was sloppy and not very gripping.

Linebarrels of Iron

I think I did not hate Linebarrels of Iron unlike most reviewers mostly because of lowered expectations. Not that it is a good show. It’s rather bland but I did not hate it. I think the main reason people hate on this show so much is its main character, Hayase Kouichi. He goes from wimpy chump who is resentful of his friends who protect him to power-crazed jerk seinen douche-bag all in one episode. Hayase is running an errand. On the way back a giant mecha and a naked girl land on him. He then befriends said naked girl and uses the mecha to fight the evil mecha than come for her and her mecha. The problem is that he goes crazy with power and become a right jerk when he is is behind the controls of his new toy.  While I feel that such a repressed person might very understandably go a little dark when he is finally given power that does not make him likebale. The plot is totally standard and the protagonist is very hard to like which is going to lead most people to skip this show. Oh mad points to anyone who combines the last line of this episode with Kenshiro.

Mouryou no Hako

I…I…uhm…nope…I got nothing. The animation was very nice. Good music choices. It was really creepy! But since the show is supposed to revolve around four investigators and they didn’t really appear much in the episode, it is a little hard for me to judge this one. I would need a second of third episode to full grip it. But maybe it is a good sign that I am atleast interested enough to see the next episode.

Kohaku will watch this show if for nothing else CLAMP does the character designs. That fact aside this is a creepy show. We start with a young man going to visit relatives by train who then wakes up to a strange man showing him a living girl’s head in a box of flowers. And then we get into the weird stuff. It is sort of a hard show to determine if I should recommend it or not. The first episode is set in the 1950 as we see two girls developing a strange friendship that quickly develops into a bizarre codependent relationship. Kanako Yuzukithe more intellectual of the two girls begins to talk about how they are reincarnations of each other and when they die they will become the other one. Yoriko Kusumoto the more passive girl cuts her self off from her mother as she seemingly become more and more draw into her partners madness. Then as both girls plan to take a trip in the middle of the night tragedy strikes. The first episode draws you in with unsettling but beautiful animation and intriguing plots but it turns out that the first episode barley even introduces most of our main characters or the main murder mystery. I am 99% these two girls story in related to the main mystery but how it is related has yet to even been hinted at. I can’t say if I like this show or not but I know I want to see more if for nothing else to try and figure out what is going on.

Kurozuka

Does your anime need sex and gritty samurai violence but you don’t want to watch Ninja Scroll again? Well, step right up Kurozuka. Kuro is on the run in a Monk’s garb while being pursued by assassins sent by his brother. After nearly dying in a fight due to a fever he and his retainer seek shelter in the house a beautiful woman named Kuromitsu. While Kuro is waiting he finds him self increasingly attracted to Kuromitsu. Soon more assassins come and break the peace. Kurozuka is a good action show that has the potential to have some deeper themes and ideas of the plot goes in the right direction. Even if it never decides to take the higher ground of philosophy the cool action sell the show enough already.

I did just recently watch Ninja Scroll actually and I’ll admit that I was really excited about the prospect of something like that stepping out this season. Kurozuka did just that in its first episode. The fights were nicely choreographed, bloody, and took up most of the episode. It was also nice to see them not cutting away or resorting to extreme amounts of flashes during the fights. And when those dudes forearms got sliced off, NICE! Hopefully that will continue. The world is a bit mysterious, definitely a supernatural slant and it almost seemed post-apocalyptic. It was an intriguing first episode and probably one of my favorites overall. Also seems a likely license by Manga Entertainment.

To Aru Majutsu no Index

Kamijo is a student in Academy City which seems to be a city of schools. Apparently people regularly run around with psychic powers in Academy City to the point where there is a ranking system. Toma’s psychic power is that he can cancel out other people’s powers with his right hand. After earning himself a self proclaimed rival he goes home to find a strange girl lying on his balcony. Her name is Index and she is from the church being chased by mages who want the magic spell books locked in her brain Johnny Mnemonic style. Although Toma thinks Index is crazy he takes a liking to her and invites her back any time if she is in trouble. This of course means that their destinies are quickly intertwined. I think Narutaki was spot on in calling that people will cosplay the daylights out of To Aru Majutsu no Index if they cosplay the heck out of anything coming out of this season. I liked the little twist on the standard formula of a guy saving a girl from punks in the beginning. I also thought Index was cute even if she has a mega-lame name. Toma seems likable enough and I enjoyed his rival. Apparently so did Japan because she got her own spin off light novel series and manga. If this show shows up in Yen Plus don’t be surprised.

This show was able to surprise me and make me in laugh in just a few minutes. Kamijo seems to be a capable and fun protagonist which makes him a pleasure to watch. His interactions with everyone are fun to watch. His power could be really interesting since it is more of a defensive technique though he uses it aggressively! Oh, I call every girl in the opening to falling in love with him. Index, who gets props for worst name, is funny and energetic though a bit ditzy. Their first meeting is really funny, in fact Kamijo isn’t incredibly serious most of the time. I found it to be a good time and probably the best straight shonen action show out of the bunch.

All in all I liked this season. Nothing really stood out for me as my next favorite show but nothing was horrible as well. If I had to pick a favorite of the season…Michiko and Hatchin although Tora Dora, Kurozuka, and To Aru Majutsu no Index were all very good. I think Linebarrels of Iron was the weakest show that I watched. Oh, Narutaki and I wanted to watch Tentai Senshi Sunred, Bihada Ichizoku, and the J-drama Bloody Monday but due to both of our Internet connections going out this weekend we could not review those three. I am sure we will try to review them in Ongoing Investigations when we get the chance.

Top 5 Recent Shojo Manga I’d Like to See Animated
5. Monkey High
4. Yamamoto Zenjirou to Moushimasu
3. Chocolate Cosmos
2. Penguin Revolution
1. Nosatsu Junkie